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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Weekly Verse and Community Group Information

The Last Supper

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me.21 The Son of Manwill go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24 “This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Explore (Digging in to understand the passage)

This is the second time in chapter 14 that a meal is mentioned. Why does eating play such an important role during this time of Jesus' ministry?

According to Exodus 12:15, what special act of preparation was tied to the first day of the feast of unleavened bread?

What would the disciples and then the twelve have felt as Jesus told them about the traitor in their midst as they were eating the Passover?

What new meaning did Jesus give to the bread and wine? What did Jesus mean when he said he wouldn't drink the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God came?

What kind of hymn do you imagine the disciples sang?

Connect (Applying the passage to our lives)

What does taking the Lord's Supper mean to you? What difference does it make in your life?